Metric Fence Enhancements (Incra question)

[mntbighker]

I got my TS-55 and MFT today and I'm working toward getting ready to start replacing my kitchen cabinets. I found an OF-2000 on craigslist last month. Anyway on to the point. I have read a few interesting threads here about MFT enhancements including INCRA stuff. I'm interested to hear how folks are dealing with the inherent metric nature of Festools and mixing them with "domestic" stuff. Apparently INCRA has no plans to offer their nicer goodies in metric and neither does Jointech. It seems like the INCRA track make s great addition to the MFT but is there a Euro equivalent company that comes in metric? Obviously in the US we are dealing with an SAE world and Festools don't come in SAE versions so what are people doing to make east meet west? The less mixing of the two I have to do, the more brain cells I have left to keep the dado on the correct side of the board ;-) Personally I think we should have gone metric years ago when the iron was hot.

--Mark

 

[Corwin]

Scales and Racks are available in metric to replace those that come with Incra's Incremental Track.  I guess the dealers don't handle these, but you can get them directly from Incra.  Unfortunately, these kits to convert your Track to metric have only been available in a range from 0 to just over 800mm and only reading from right to left.  Not a deal breaker by any means.  I have them on a few of my Tracks -- they're nice!  And just by coincidence the metric racks are almost a match for the Festool green.

Hmmm, there is a chance that these metric racks and scales are only available every so often.  I may be all wet, but they may make a limited run and thus have times when unavailable.  Call Incra and express your interest -- maybe they will see the market potential...  And maybe they will make scales to cover 1 meter (or 2 meters using the current length pieces of scale).

Corwin

 

[mntbighker]

I would be surprised if there were no companies outside the US making stuff like INCRA makes in metric. What the heck does the rest of the world do? I wonder how many bazillion dollars it would cost to convert one of those nice positioners to metric (including the lead screw). Too many plastic parts, like the scale knob to make it practical I guess :-(

--MM

 

[Eli]

I don't have any INCRA stuff, but for my .02 I will say that when I moved to Australia the first thing I bought was a dual measure stanley tape and the effing thing confused me so much, I stowed it and bought metric. Had I known how easy it was to pick up, I would have started using metric in the US. It took me less than two weeks to use it comfortably. Makes more sense in a lot more ways than just being able to use it with Festool gear. (Benedict Arnold!)

 

[jonny round boy]

I don't have any INCRA stuff, but for my .02 I will say that when I moved to Australia the first thing I bought was a dual measure stanley tape and the effing thing confused me so much, I stowed it and bought metric. Had I known how easy it was to pick up, I would have started using metric in the US. It took me less than two weeks to use it comfortably. Makes more sense in a lot more ways than just being able to use it with Festool gear. (Benedict Arnold!)

Well said, Eli!

I don't understand most of America's reluctance to convert to metric - It is, as you said, far easier to use for woodworking (decimals are easier to add/subtract than fractions!). My dad always used imperial and I learnt to use that from him, but in school I was taught metric, and that was much easier.

Having said that though, I am still 'confused' about some things - I use miles, not km, for long distance; for medium distance, I use metres rather than yards; to try to visualise space in my head (i.e. when thinking of initial layout of a kitchen, for example) I use feet rather than metres; and when designing/drawing up anything I use mm, irrespective of the size of the thing I'm designing, from tiny little jig components to gardens!!!

 

[woodshopdemos]

I am an Incra user and have been for years. I also love Festool tools. I suggest you stay with  non-metric with Incra. If you are so lucky to get them to supply you with metric gears, you have a greater problem. Their book of step by step is non-metric.  For the life of me, I dont understand your compelling interest to have Incra in metric. When you select a scale and then a router bit based on that scale and a page of instructions based on that scale, you really  do not need to think in metric or imperial...they are just numbers i.e. 15 blue, 14 red etc.  Your wood won't care either way.

 

[mntbighker]

I suggest you stay with  non-metric with Incra. If you are so lucky to get them to supply you with metric gears, you have a greater problem. Their book of step by step is non-metric.

Yes, well the greater issue is that unfortunately there is no practical way to have a a totally SAE shop. No matter what you do your going to have to deal with a mix. Especially if you have Festools. Maybe the more practical view would be to wish for SAE Festools but that's not likely to happen either. In this case variety is NOT the spice of life, but I do see your point. I'll stick with SAE INCRA.

--MM

 

[Eli]

Having said that though, I am still 'confused' about some things - I use miles, not km, for long distance; for medium distance, I use metres rather than yards; to try to visualise space in my head (i.e. when thinking of initial layout of a kitchen, for example) I use feet rather than metres; and when designing/drawing up anything I use mm, irrespective of the size of the thing I'm designing, from tiny little jig components to gardens!!!

I've found myself naturally using Imperial sometimes for 'rough' measurements, it's easier to say eight feet than it is to say 2400mm. The Australians say 4x2 instead of 2x4, I still can't get that to come out right.

I like not having to use fractional measurements, and because I don't anymore, I'm finding a lot less wasted cuts, a lot tighter work, and I can move much faster (Read: math-not my strong area). This is after six months of metric, having never used it before in my life. So if you do decide to switch, it won't take long to get comfortable. Just don't get a tape with both systems on it, and you'll be right.

 

[kkeus]

Well,

I live in the Netherlands (that's Europe  ) and having used metric all my life, I find it quite frustrating that Incra has no apparent plans to make metric versions of the majority of their products. I use Festool almost exclusively. I would love to see metric versions of some (actually _all_ ) of Incra's stuff. Having said that. Here in the Netherlands, most woodworkers are absolutely NOT interested in trying anything new and approved. People here just use what's available and are not really adventurious.

 

[Corwin]

I am an Incra user and have been for years. I also love Festool tools. I suggest you stay with  non-metric with Incra. If you are so lucky to get them to supply you with metric gears, you have a greater problem. Their book of step by step is non-metric.  For the life of me, I dont understand your compelling interest to have Incra in metric. When you select a scale and then a router bit based on that scale and a page of instructions based on that scale, you really  do not need to think in metric or imperial...they are just numbers i.e. 15 blue, 14 red etc.  Your wood won't care either way.

I would agree with the above quote as far as using the LS Positioner with the templates.  But the LS can be used as a fence on other tools too -- where you are not using the joinery templates.  Would be nice if the LS was offered in metric, but no matter...

The Incremental Track, however, is a different story.  This Track can be used with the supplied Imperial scales and racks, or they can be replaced with their metric cousins.  Having a fence with metric scales is handy if you want your work in metric sizes -- like using the hole drilling setup.  If you are working in metric, these Tracks with the metric scales and racks are a great way to go.

 

[mntbighker]

In case anyone is interested, here is what INCRA sent me:

Hi, Mark-

Other than the Incra Rules, the only Incra product currently manufactured in metric is the re-issued original Incra Jig that's sold in Europe and Australia.  The newer positioners would require quite a bit of retooling to convert the micro-adjust mechanisms to metric, and a new set of joinery templates using metric spacing would also be required.  Sorry, there are no plans to introduce more metric products.  Given the small number of requests we receive, the metric products would need to be priced significantly higher to offset the development costs.

We do have metric positioning racks and scales available.  We don't have kits per se, but handle requests on a per-case basis.

Best regards,

Mark Mueller
Field Operations Manager

 

[neoshed]

ah so the incra jig that rockler does is available in metric.....goes off to email incra.